Putting Malzahn's new contract into perspective

Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn turned down the chance to be Vanderbilt's head coach.

It's a good day to be Gus Malzahn. The Birmingham News reported Auburn has given Malzahn a contract extension while more than doubling his contract to $1.3 million. Assuming all $1.3 million is guaranteed, that makes Malzahn among the highest-paid assistant coaches in the country, if not No. 1.

It also means he would make more than about half of the Division I-A head coaches right now, according to a recent USA Today survey. That is, until their agents renegotiate some of their contracts after this news.

The salaries for assistant continues continue to rise. It was only a couple years ago that a $300,000-a-year-salary and a multi-year contract was the standard bearer for a coordinator. That's changed. Last year USA Today reported that 66 assistant coaches made $300,000 or more annually.

While at Tennessee, defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin became the first $1 million assistant with a $1.5 million salary, including a $300,000 bonus. It's unclear what Kiffin makes now at USC, which doesn't have to release figures since it's a private school. HBO's "Real Sports" reported in May that Kiffin makes around $2 million per year, but ESPN reported that figure was exaggerated.

Will Muschamp was making $900,000 as Texas' defensive coordinator and head coach in waiting before leaving for Florida. Kirby Smart ($750,000) saw his salary more than double as Alabama's defensive coordinator after he considered leaving for Georgia. What will the going rate be now for Smart amid reports Muschamp wants him at Florida and given Malzahn's new salary?

Assuming Malzahn's $1.3 million number is guaranteed, these are some head coaches he surpasses, according to the latest USA Today salary database:

* Rick Neuheisel, UCLA: $1.28 million

* Kyle Whittingham, Utah: $1.2 million

* Dan Mullen, Mississippi State: $1.2 million

* Mike Riley, Oregon State: $1.1 million

* Butch Jones, Cincinnati: $1.1 million

* Paul Rhoads, Iowa State: $1.1 million

* Kevin Sumlin, Houston: $1 million

* Bill Stewart, West Virginia: $933,000

Malzahn now makes more than Tulsa's Todd Graham, who was his boss a couple years ago. Malzahn is only about $200,000 behind Tommy Tuberville at Texas Tech. Top-notch assistants are being valued more than ever before. As head coaches further become CEOs, the duties placed on coordinators become more important.

But there's another factor in play, too. That is the SEC's considerable wealth through its television contracts. If the reports are true Vanderbilt was offering Malzahn close to $3 million -- I do wonder if that was guaranteed money or included bonuses -- then that further illustrates the point. The SEC is setting the standard for a lot of coaches' salaries around the country while expanding the gap with some conferences.

High-paid coaches don't guarantee anything on the field. But they often beat the alternative, which is something Auburn doesn't want to find out just yet in the case of Malzahn.